


A stain on my skin, a weight on my soul

by LovelyLittleGrim



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 6a, Angst, Denial, Enemies to soulmates, M/M, Naughty Dreams, Not-so-casual-casual-touches, Post Hell Theo Raeken, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, We are pretending 6B didnt happen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:47:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22368934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLittleGrim/pseuds/LovelyLittleGrim
Summary: Soulmates are rare, but Liam proves to be one of the lucky few who has one. He just wishes it wasn’t someone he hates with every fiber of his being.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 89
Kudos: 282





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [manonisamelon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manonisamelon/gifts).



> For the coolest ghost I know. (This fic literally wouldn’t have happened without her so she deserves all the love)

Liam is seventeen, smiling like an idiot, his fingers threaded between Hayden’s and a bowl of popcorn on his lap. He’s only seventeen, but neither fate nor destiny has ever cared about age. There’s still the smell of pizza hanging in the air. The echoing laughter of Mason bouncing around the living room walls, Corey’s rolling eyes as Hayden throws candy at him. 

It’s all so normal. 

Ridiculously, easily, perfectly normal for once in their chaotic lives. 

Until it’s not. And, really, he shouldn’t be surprised at all at this point. 

It starts as an itch. Just a mild little irritant, like maybe Liam’s collar is too tight, too high. He rubs at it, tugs at the fabric, ignores it for as long as he can as he trades corny jokes with Mason and regals Corey with a story about his boyfriend from their formative years. 

The stinging comes next, like fingernails clawing at his throat, he swallows heavily, cups the curve of his Adam’s apple and grimaces. His glass of orange juice suddenly tastes too sour, feels too sticky in his throat. He coughs lightly, but nothing changes. 

“Liam?” Hayden’s voice is soft, concerned, her hand patting him lightly on the back. 

He waves her off as he stands and moves towards the bathroom. “I’m fine,” he says hurriedly, throwing in a casual, “don't let Mason eat all the popcorn. 

“I won’t,” she laughs. 

Liquid fire is dripping from his skin, running through his veins, spreading, spreading _, spreading._ He can’t breathe through the feeling of it. He slams the bathroom door harder than intended, his knees giving up and sending him dropping to the cold tile floor of his parent’s bathroom. He wants to curse, to yell, but he’s terrified of what might come crawling from his throat. So he bites down hard onto his lip, tastes blood and ashes on his tongue and begs any higher power there is to make the feeling stop. 

His phone is somewhere in his pocket, but he would have to open his eyes to dial Scott and he prefers them clenched shut. It makes this somewhat more bearable. He scrapes his cheek against the rough bath mat, inhales a ragged breath through his nose, and waits for it to stop or for himself to die. 

Lydia would feel that, right? Him, dying? Maybe someone is on the way to save him? God, he hopes so. He’s only seventeen, he doesn’t want to die yet; not like this, not curled up on his bathroom floor on his birthday with lava dripping down his throat. 

It feels like several millennia have passed before the pain eases. Little by little it ebbs away until there’s nothing but a faint fever at the hollow of his throat. He still doesn’t move, his muscles wound so tightly he thinks he might shatter if he even thinks too hard. He breathes in and out, terrified that it might start up again, that the agony will return. He wants his parents, his alpha, he wants someone to tell him what the fuck just happened and reassure him that he’s okay now. 

He gets none of that. 

Slowly, he opens his eyes, vision blurry through fever hot tears. He can just make out the tall white form of the bathroom door. There’s no one knocking on it, no one breaking it down and demanding what's wrong. It might have felt like an entire millennium or several, but he knows it had to only be seconds. Pain has its own rules for the passage of time and those rules all boil down to lasting an eternity no matter what. 

God, he feels like shit. 

Sitting up is a challenge. His body feels strange. Different. He wonders if he might have actually died and just doesn’t know it yet. A hurried hand pressed to his chest says he’s not. His heart is still warm and beating beneath his palm, albeit a little faster than usual. 

_Not dead_ , he thinks with just a modicum of relief. 

Standing proves to be even harder, but he gets there; his hands clenched tightly to the sink. He exhales shakily and blinks at his reflection in the mirror. Well, he looks like shit too. He snorts self deprecatingly; eyes watery, skin pale, hair mussed from rolling on the floor. How is he even going to explain what just happened? _My body decided becoming a volcano was a good idea._ Maybe he was cursed? Witches are a thing, sort of, druids, whatever...

“Fuck,” he whispers as his eyes latch onto his throat. He feels as though he can’t breathe again. Or like he’s been sucker-punched right in the stomach by a giant. There’s a spider web of black lines there, thin and fine, all of them coming together to form a handprint at the base of his throat. 

“No,” he says, choking on the word as it rasps out of him. “ _No, no, no_.” 

It’s impossibly rare these days, grows more so with every passing year, but some people are still lucky enough to be blessed with a soulmate. Liam gets one on his seventeenth birthday and he knows it’s not the girl he’s in love with.

* * *

Hayden touches the mark sometimes, her fingers grazing the black lines etched into his skin. She’s always gentle about it, eyes unfocused, lips pulled into an unhappy curve. She gets lost in her thoughts every time she touches the handprint, her breath hitching in her chest the longer she touches. Liam has to pull her from her thoughts, lips finding hers in the dark of her bedroom, hands curling around hers and guiding them to his chest or his hair, anywhere that isn’t his neck. 

He knows she’s always thinking about how she’s not his soul mate. How someone, somewhere out there has his own handprint on their skin. How he’s destined for someone who isn’t Hayden. Liam wishes he could reassure her that it’s not important, but he can’t. He lies to everyone these days. His parents. His friends. His girlfriend. He’s gotten really good at it, at bending the truth just enough to get away with it. He learned that from... someone. He can’t remember who exactly but he knows they were a friend of his. 

Weird. 

* * *

Liam knows. 

He knows the moment he drives the sword into the earth, knows the moment it cracks open and Theo breaches the surface. It’s something in the air, something in his lungs, something he can’t describe as anything other than bigger than him. Than life. Liam knows the moment Theo has him pressed back against the wall, hand at Liam’s throat, eyes glowing a furious gold. The touch is so icy cold, like snow pressed against his bare skin; it sinks down into Liam’s very core, eats away at every ounce of heat he has stored in his body. 

It’s a shock to his system, and for a long second, he can’t speak—can’t do anything but let Theo push him into the stone behind him. He’s vaguely aware of Hayden’s angry voice telling Theo to stop, telling him that they saved his life and brought him back. Liam can only think idly, half-delirious, that it wasn’t _them._ It was him, _it was Liam._

Fate is funny, except not at all, and destiny is a bitch. 

Liam doesn’t want this. 

So, he ignores it.

* * *

The feeling of eyes on him is driving him crazy, he feels annoyingly close to snapping. They tickle the side of his face and the back of his neck, both Hayden and Theo watching him as they trudge through the woods. He knows Hayden is watching him because he’s being grumpy, shoulders tense and steps a little too loud. Theo… he doesn’t actually know if Theo is watching him, but it feels like he is. Feels like the chimera’s eyes haven’t looked away from him once. 

He grits his teeth. It was his stupid idea to do this. To use Theo. Or maybe it wasn’t, maybe it was some higher power at work to drive him and Theo together again. Either way, there’s nothing he can do about it now. Theo is out of hell and at the end of a chain just behind him. 

Liam barely holds back a scoffing laugh. The chain is a little too ironic at the moment, one end held in his hands while the other end is wrapped around Theo’s wrists. He feels a little nauseous the more he thinks about it, fingers a little sweaty. He wonders if he can hand the chain off to Hayden, but that makes him feel like an asshole. Who makes their girlfriend drag their soulmate through the woods? Shitty people, that’s who. Liam feels bad enough as it is. 

When Hayden kisses him it’s almost like cheating, but he falls into it, lets himself get lost in her familiar taste. He ignores Theo. Forgets him. Until he talks, and then he has Liam’s full attention, like a moth to a flame. Liam grimaces, hand jerking the chain to keep himself from doing something stupid, saying something stupid. He turns his back on Theo and doesn’t look at him again. 

* * *

Liam should be focused, should be trying to come up with a plan and several back-up plans for how to deal with the ghost riders, but instead, his mind keeps circling back to the boy locked in the cell. Theo shouldn’t be invading his thoughts right now, or ever, but he is. Liam wants to know if Theo has a mark too, where it is on his body. Liam can’t think of a moment where his hand has touched Theo’s actual skin. There are no marks on his face or his neck, no telling lines on his hands or fingers. 

Liam hasn’t touched Theo, maybe he never does. Maybe he’s not even Theo’s soulmate. 

That happens. Rarely, but it does. 

Liam finds that he doesn’t really like that idea. His teeth grind together, his hands clenching on his thighs. Why should he be cursed to want Theo, but Theo doesn’t get the same punishment? Not that Liam is a punishment; if anything Liam is a damn gift. Theo would be fucking lucky to have Liam as a soulmate. 

“What’s with that face?” 

Startling at the sound of Theo’s voice, Liam blinks and lifts his head. He stares across the holding cell room from his bench and frowns. “What look?” 

Theo is leaning against the bars, arms braced against the metal. He looks surprisingly comfortable where he is, unperturbed in the slightest. “That one,” he flicks his fingers in the general direction of Liam’s face, “you look grumpier than usual.” 

“I’m not,” Liam tells him as stoically as he can manage. He’s always angry. It comes with his condition. It _is_ his condition. He’s been angrier than this before and he will be again. This is nothing--even if it does feel like he’s suddenly too big for his skin. 

Theo’s head cocks to the side, dark green eyes assessing Liam carefully. His lips quirk up into a near smirk. “That’s not quite a lie. I’m almost impressed. I didn’t think you had it in you, tiny wolf.”

Liam rolls his eyes. “I’m not tiny, you're maybe an inch taller than me. Hop off your high horse, asshole.” He should ignore Theo, but even as he tries to look away his gaze goes right back. 

Does Theo know? Did he feel anything when he touched Liam? Maybe he was too rattled from Hell, from being brought back, from thinking he was still down there with the sister he murdered? Maybe he hadn’t felt anything at all because there was nothing for him to feel. 

Liam bites down on the inside of his cheek and drops his gaze to the floor. He wishes Hayden and Mason would hurry up and get here. He’s tired of babysitting Theo all alone. He’s tired of thinking. 

* * *

Pretending isn’t easy for Liam, it doesn’t matter how well he’s gotten at lying. His face is too expressive, always working to give him away with the curve of his mouth and the emotion in his eyes. Still, he tries to remain neutral as he attempts to sway the sheriff onto his side, arguing their need for Theo. The sheriff remains unconvinced. John Stilinski remembers what Theo did to just like the rest of them. The horrors he put them all through in the pursuit of power. 

The truth is… They don't need Theo anymore. He’s told them everything they need to know. They’re as informed as they’re ever going to be about the lowenmensch and the ghost riders--the most Theo can do now is be an extra body to distract the enemy. Useful but not necessary…

Liam doesn’t know what to do. Soulmate or not. Theo isn’t a good person. Will likely never be a good person. He’s selfish. Conceited. Power-hungry—even though he said he was no longer after power. Liam knows that keeping him around can only end badly… except… 

That doesn’t stop the weird little thrill from tingling its way down Liam’s spine as he sits shotgun in the sheriff's car on the way to the station. He pleads his case the entire ride there, but sheriff Stilinski insists they don’t need Theo. They have an entire station of officers as back up. Only... they don’t. 

The station is empty save for one familiar heartbeat

* * *

Liam wants to punch Theo when they open the station door and see what is essentially an army of ghosts riders on the other side. Theo has said five were out there but the number is well into the twenties. Maybe more. Shots ring out, bullets catching the sheriff in the chest, green swirls of smoke and light engulfing him as he disappears before Liam’s eyes. He doesn’t forget that the sheriff exists though, he remembers him even as the second’s tick by. The ghost riders world is merging faster and faster with their own. Liam wonders what happens when they become too entangled to undo. 

Theo slams the door shut and locks it, back leaning against the wooden slats on the other side. Liam tries not to panic, tries to think clearly. They have to get out of the station, it’s too small, here, not enough places to evade and hide from the threat. They have to keep the ghost riders busy long enough to give the rest of the pack a chance to remember Stiles and figure out what to do next.

He shakes his head and reaches across the gap between him and Theo, his hand wraps around Theo’s wrist and pulls him away from the door. “We gotta go!”

Liam yanks the metal key box from the wall as they dash past the rows of desks towards the rear exit. There are a plethora of cars out there with no owners anymore, perfect for a quick escape. He just hopes there aren't too many keys in the metal box to choose from. 

* * *

“--because while they’re busy wrapping a whip around your neck or shooting a hole in your head, I’ll be busy running in the other direction! I’m on your side as long as it helps me!”

The words sting. Liam doesn’t know why. They shouldn’t. It’s not like it’s surprising that Theo doesn’t give two fucks about him. He doesn’t care about Theo either. He hates Theo and he proves it by shoving Theo in the chest. 

“Trust me, I know,” Liam growls at him, teeth just starting to sharpen into fangs. Theo glowers at him, the stench of fear and loathing permeating him like cologne. Liam watches Theo turn away and march into the hospital without so much as a second glance at Liam. 

He hates Theo, but more than that he hates that _this_ is the person Liam is destined to be with. He doesn’t understand. Of everyone in the world, why is he supposed to be with Theo? Theo would rip out Liam’s kidneys for a fucking quarter if someone asked and he would do it with a fucking smile. 

Theo is a murderer. Liam can’t forget that. Soulmate or not. Liam _won't_ forget that. 

Pushing the hair from his eyes, Liam swallows past the sudden lump in his throat and follows Theo into the shadow-filled hospital.

* * *

He said he wasn’t going to save Theo. He said he was going to use Theo as bait because it’s what Theo would do to him if the tables were reversed.

It’s not true for Liam though. He knows the moment it leaves his lips that it’s a lie. Maybe it’s because he's not a heartless person, maybe it's because he knows that he and Theo are tied together in some inexplicable cosmic way. It doesn’t matter why he would save Theo, only that he does. So it’s not surprising to him at all when he angles the gun towards the ghost rider that has Theo and shoots it. 

Theo looks surprised though. As surprised as someone who hides their feelings like Theo can look anyway. They did it. They fought off the ghost riders and they survived. Theo gives him a little smirk, hand lifting for a first bump when they meet in the hallway. Liam tries not to smile as he lifts his too. 

_They never touch._

It’s weird to be pulled back against Theo’s chest and dragged. Weird because for the three seconds Liam is there, he’s oddly warm. Not like the warmth in his throat but warm like he’s been laying in the sun on a cloudless summer day. It’s inviting and he wants to sink into it. 

Theo tosses him into the elevator but doesn’t follow, Liam’s stomach drops the moment the doors close. 

“No!” 

Maybe this is why Theo doesn’t have a mark. Liam never gets the chance to touch him. 

* * *

Liam can’t explain the strange elation he feels well up inside him when Theo comes out of nowhere and rips a ghost rider off his back. His teeth are bared angrily, claws digging deep into the ghost rider. He looks worse for wear, shirt tattered and face scraped and covered in soot, but he’s alive and here. Liam lets out a small incredulous laugh. Of course, Theo is still around. He’s a damn cockroach. 

When Liam tells Theo he’s going into the hunt, Theo’s eyes narrow, his hold tightening on the ghost rider. “You’re kidding, right? I went through all of this to keep you from being taken!”

Liam wants to ask why? It’s not like keeping Liam safe would help Theo in any way. He’s on everyone’s shit list, a little rescuing isn’t going to change that. There’s no reason to try so hard just to keep Liam from being taken by the hunt. 

Theo growls at him to hurry up and go. 

Liam bites at his lip, but nods. He’ll see Theo again when all of this is over. He’ll figure out what to do about the mark on his throat in the exact shape of Theo’s hand later when things are less hectic and he has more time to panic. He’ll touch Theo’s skin and see if his fingerprints are etched into Theo’s being the same way Theo’s are etched into his. 

Later. 

Right now he has to figure out how to make this horse gallop in the correct direction. 

* * *

He doesn’t see Theo again after it’s all over. He doesn’t need to. He has a girlfriend, one that he loves. He doesn’t need some soulmate that he hates to ruin that. Things are good. There's no supernatural chaos, no threats, there's just an endless stretch of summer before them and Liam intends to enjoy every moment of it with his friends and his girlfriend before they're all pulled away from one another for school. 

So, he pushes Theo out of his mind. Doesn’t seek him out, forgets him as much as he can. It’s not easy, not in a small town like Beacon Hills. Theo’s scent seems to permeate everything, clinging to buildings and roads. Liam can’t escape it, but he never actually sees Theo. It’s like the chimera is suddenly a shadow or a ghost. Liam never catches sight of him but he knows that Theo is somewhere close by. 

It’s frustrating and distracting. His attention drifting anytime that familiar smell reaches his nose. It’s like Pavlov’s Theory, his eyes instantly seeking out the chimera but never finding him. 

He knows Hayden is growing tired of it, even though she doesn’t know what it is. It takes her longer and longer to pull his attention back to her. Makes her repeat herself over and over again because he’s stopped listening to what she’s saying because he’s seeking out a heartbeat that isn’t hers. 

It’s nearly the end of July when she curls around him in her bed, soft curls ticking at his cheek and whispers, “You know who it is, don’t you?” Her words breathe over the mark on his neck and he hates the feeling of it, wants to shift away from her, but he refuses to move. He loves her. So damn much, but they both know that what they have isn’t going to last. It isn’t meant to. 

Closing his eyes, Liam nods his head. 

She says nothing in response. 

What is there to say, after all? 

The taste of salt on the air tells him she’s crying way before the wet of her tears seeps into the crook of his neck. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. It only makes her cry harder.

The knowledge that he knows is like a wedge between them. It drives them further and further apart. They don’t touch with the same ease they had at the beginning of summer. They don’t even kiss anymore. It’s awkward and stilted and he wants to go back to before he took that sword and opened up the earth. He wants to change his mind about bringing Theo back, but he knows its all too late. He has a soulmate and it isn’t Hayden. 

They can’t stay together and be happy. Not when Hayden knows there’s someone else Liam is supposed to be with. He knows she’ll never be happy with him again because there will always be that doubt in the back of her mind. She’ll always wonder if she’s enough and he doesn’t want that for her. She deserves everything in life. She deserves happiness and love unconditionally. 

Her smile is shakey and small when she says, “I have to do what’s best for my family, Liam. This town isn’t safe and I can’t lose anyone else. My sister is all I have now.”

“I know,” Liam tells her, heart-clenching in his chest. God, he loves her, “it’s for the best.” 

But love isn’t enough. 

He’s seventeen when he loses his first love because destiny has other things in mind. 

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

It’s weird running into Theo after so many months of only catching whiffs of his scent. Liam doesn’t know what to do, but he knows that dropping his grocery bag and staring like an idiot isn’t it. That’s what he does though. There’s a huff of irritation from behind him because he’s blocking part of the exit to the store, but Liam ignores it. Mrs. Huff can go around him, it’s not like he’s very big and the doors are more than capable of housing them both. 

“Kids these days.” The woman grumbles as she shoves her way around him. 

Liam lets himself get jostled to the side, but he doesn’t stop staring at Theo. He’s vaguely aware that the jar of peanut butter he bought is rolling away from him, traveling its way right into traffic. He’ll have to buy more if someone runs it over, but he can’t find it within himself to care. 

At the far end of the parking lot, in a thatch of unlit parking spots, sits Theo’s truck. The chimera is standing outside of it, back leaning against the driver’s door, arms crossed over his arms as a police officer stands in front of him. From their body language, it looks like Theo is getting berated. 

Liam tilts his head to the side, eyes squinting. He can see Theo’s driver’s license in the officer’s hand. Is Theo in trouble? He licks his lips and goes after the jar of peanut butter, eyes glancing back and forth from Theo to the jar as he picks his way across the parking lot and ducks behind a yellow minivan. He scoops up the jar and drops it back into his bag before peeking out from behind the van. He listens in on what the cop is saying. 

“--You’ll have to find somewhere else to park it.” 

Liam frowns. It’s a parking lot. Where else is Theo supposed to park? 

“Where?” Theo asks, his tone more of a growl than anything else. He looks and sounds irritated. 

“Not my problem, kid,” The cop tells him, handing back Theo’s license. “Park it here again and I’ll have to give you a ticket.” 

Theo snatches back his license with more attitude than is smart to have with a cop, but the cop just sighs and walks back to his squad car without another word. 

Liam inches along side the minivan, eyes following the cop until the lights flick off and he pulls out of the store lot. He’s never seen that particular cop before, so he’s probably new. A lot of people had quit or left town after the ghost riders, leaving new people to take their spots in the sketchy town. When Liam turns to look back at Theo he finds that Theo is staring right at him, lips pulled into a thin line and eyes narrowed. 

“Enjoying the show?” His words are quiet, venomous, but Liam hears them with perfect clarity. 

Straightening his spine, Liam steps out from his hiding spot and rolls his eyes. He tries not to feel guilty for spying, but he does. It doesn’t matter that it’s Theo Raeken he was spying on. He crosses his arms over his chest and scoffs loudly, “nothing about you is enjoyable.” 

“There are several people who would disagree with you,” Theo says and there’s something lascivious about the way his mouth curves up into a smirk. 

Liam wrinkles his nose even as his chest burns with something that feels far too close to jealousy to be comfortable. “Gross.” He shakes his head and pretends to shiver in disgust as he turns and heads for his mother’s car. “That’s too much information, Theo.”

“Why?” Theo’s tone goes silky smooth and teasing. “You jealous? I heard your girlfriend left you.” 

Liam freezes, face burning. He turns on heel and glares at Theo. “Shut up, you don’t know anything about it,” he growls out. 

_ It’s your fault, _ Liam wants to yell at him.  _ It’s all because of you and you don’t even know it!  _

Theo opens his mouth to say something snappish back but Liam doesn’t let him, he throws his shopping bag at him and watches as Theo just barely catches it before it smacks him in the face. The jar of peanut butter falls out of the bag and lands with a loud thud onto the toe of Theo’s shoe and Liam feels satisfied by the sharp hiss of pain that slips out of Theo’s parted mouth. 

Asshole deserves it. 

Liam knows, at the back of his mind, that it was a dumb move to throw his bag of groceries because he’ll have to go and pay for more. Money isn’t really a problem, and since it’s still summer, neither is time. So, he’s not too worried about it. He’ll get more. 

He doesn’t think about how thin Theo looks as he stalks towards his mother’s car. 

He doesn’t care. 

* * *

It’s like that single interaction in a Whole Foods parking lot breaks some sort of invisible dam between them because suddenly Theo is _ everywhere. _ There’s no escaping the guy. He’s like Liam’s own personal, annoying shadow. Every time Liam leaves his house now, he does it with the knowledge that he’s going to run into the chimera somewhere, somehow. It’s becoming exhausting. 

It’s early Saturday morning and the traffic at the outlet mall is surprisingly light. Liam prefers it like this, there’s less of a chaotic shuffle, less overwhelming scents and sounds. It gives him the perfect chance to slip into the sports store for a new pair of cleats and then go home without much fuss. Which he does, for the most part. He’s in the store, anyway, debating between two pairs of cleats. They’re pretty close in price and style, but he doesn’t know which one will feel better on the field. 

“Mommy not here to help, Dunbar?” 

It’s instant, the tendril of fury that tickles up his spine. He jerks his head to the side, glowering at Brett. He’d been so caught up in trying not to run into Theo that he forgot about the chances of running into Brett. 

“Fuck off, Talbot.” He shoves one of the boxes of shoes back onto the shelf and turns on his heel to march towards the check-out area. Whichever shoes he has in his hands will have to do. 

Brett follows, all taunting words and towering height, his purchase swinging from his arm. 

“How’s that anger?” Brett asks loudly. “Any better at controlling it? Or will you be tearing through more equipment in the middle of a game?” 

Liam comes to an abrupt halt but doesn’t turn to look at Brett. His shoulders hunch up to his ears, his teeth sharpening in his mouth.  _ Don’t,  _ he thinks at himself,  _ don’t lose your temper, that's what he wants. He wants to see you snap.  _

Liam tries to focus, tries to breathe through the rising anger, but it’s hard. He doesn’t have an anchor anymore. Brett doesn’t know that, or maybe he does. Maybe he heard about Hayden leaving. Maybe that’s why he’s doing this? Liam can taste blood on his tongue. 

_ Breathe, just breathe. Come on, Liam. Don’t wolf out in the middle of a sports goods store. Don’t disappoint Scott. The Sun, the moon, the… _

“Are you done yet?”

_ Theo.  _

Theo is standing beside him, hands in his jacket pockets, a bored look on his face as he stares at Liam. “How long does it take to pick out some shoes, Liam?” 

Liam can’t speak, teeth still sharp, mouth full of blood. Theo rolls his eyes and seems to just notice Brett standing there. He arches a brow. “Brad, right?” 

“Brett,” Brett corrects cooly. 

Theo shrugs. “Close enough.” He focuses his attention back on Liam, “Come on, Dunbar, get in line. I want breakfast.” Hands shove at his shoulders, pushing him to the check-out area and sticking him in line behind a gaggle of preteens. “You have everything you need, right? I don't want to come back in here, it smells like rubber and  _ desperation. _ ” 

Something about Theo settles him, Liam realizes when he finds that the anger is seeping away. Like Theo’s hands on his back are there for more than just a shove, like they’re stealing his fury the same way they could steal pain. Liam wants to lean into the touch, feel the heat that bleeds through his shirt from Theo’s large palms. 

The touch is anchoring him, Liam’s mind stutters over the thought. He wants to ask Theo what the hell he’s doing here, where the hell he just came from, how he’s calming Liam down so easily when it’s always been so frustratingly hard for other people. 

“Well?” Theo asks after a long second and Liam remembers that he had asked a question. 

When Liam nods, Theo steps back, hands easily sliding back into the pockets of his jean jacket. “Good, hurry up, I’ll be waiting outside,” he says and then heads for the door. “See you around, Brad.” 

“It’s Brett,” Brett says again but Theo ignores him as he slips out the sliding doors. 

“Next!” The cashier calls and Liam steps up to the counter hurriedly, tossing his box down and pulling out his wallet. 

Brett steps up next to him, his voice quiet. “I thought you sent that guy to hell.”

Liam shrugs, tugging out a few bills and handing them over to the cashier. 

There’s a little noise of annoyance from Brett, “So, what, you two are friends now.”

“Something, like that,” Liam says as he waits for the sleepy teenager on the other side of the counter to stuff his purchase into a bag. Brett’s head jerks to the doorway and he scowls. Liam follows his line of sight and sees an amused grin on Theo’s lips through the large window. Liam wonders what Theo said to earn that look from Brett. 

“Here you are, sir,” the young cashier says and Liam thanks her as he takes the bag. 

“Bye,” he grumbles at Brett and hurries from the store without a second glance. 

Liam sucks in a deep breath the moment he steps through the sliding doors. It’s already way too warm outside despite how early it still is but he feels infinitely lighter. Theo huffs and cocks his head to the left, nodding at a building a few stores down. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” Liam asks as he falls into step beside Theo. He holds onto his questions, he’ll ask when they’re further away from Brett.

“To get breakfast,” Theo tells him like it’s obvious. Liam supposes it should be. He had mentioned it in the store. 

“Okay.” Liam guesses he could eat. 

“Your treat, of course,” Theo tacks on with a quick grin. 

Sighing, Liam rolls his eyes. He should have known. He supposes he should pay Theo back for helping him in there. 

The dinner is quaint, fifties themed. There’s pink paint on the walls and a thousand pictures of Elvis Presley and old convertibles. There’s a worn looking jukebox in one corner, the soft voice of a man singing about his teen angel piping out of its speakers. Liam’s surprised he’s never been here before, the town isn’t that big and he’s been pretty much everywhere. 

“Table for two?” An old woman asks, hair a mess of pink curls. She leads them over to a booth with a window seat and takes their drink orders as she hands them menus. Liam glances over his quickly as Theo tells the waitress he’s ready to order. She nods and pulls out a pen and pad. They order the same thing, pancakes with eggs and hashbrowns. 

“Right back with your drinks,” She tells them. 

It’s awkward when they’re left alone, Liam doesn’t know what to do with his hands. He goes back and forth from letting his fingers fidget on the tabletop to his lap. “So…” 

“So,” Theo repeats slowly, waiting for Liam to finish. 

Liam lets his eyes rove over Theo, looking for something to say. He doesn’t do well with awkward silences. He tends to ramble when he’s nervous. His eyes catch on Theo’s jean-clad shoulders and he wants to roll them. Liam understands having a certain aesthetic--not that he personally has one--but it can’t be worth melting to death for. “It’s a million degrees outside, what the hell are you wearing a jacket for?” 

Theo glances down at his jacket in amusement. “If it was a million degrees outside we would be dead.” He shrugs one shoulder, an easy smile pulling at half of his mouth. “Besides, I look cool and that’s all that matters.” 

Liam snorts. “Sure you do.” 

“Here you go boys,” The waitress sets their drinks down and then spins away again. 

Theo watches him from the other side of the booth contemplatively. He leans in closer, body arching over the table as Liam takes a large drink of water and says, “you know that guy is attracted to you, right?” 

Liam chokes, water streaming from his nose as he gasps for breath. “Wha--” 

Theo wrinkles his nose in disgust and mutters, “not sure why.” 

“Oh fuck you,” Liam coughs, hand pounding at his chest. “I’m attractive.” 

Theo’s eyes travel over him as though they’re saying, _ I don’t see it. _

Liam flips him off as mops up the choked up water down the front of his shirt and across his side of the table. “I think you read that whole situation wrong.” 

Leaning back in his seat, Theo shakes his head, arms uncrossing from his chest and dropping down to rest on the table. He looks Liam right in the eye and says seriously. “I didn’t read anything wrong, Dunbar. That giant wants to bang you.” 

It’s such a ridiculous thought that it makes Liam laugh, a high, awkward thing that bubbles up from his throat. Brett used to be one of his best friends back before he became Liam’s top tormentor. Present company notwithstanding. He’s sure if Brett was into him he would have noticed. “No way.” 

A look of pure exasperation crosses Theo’s face. “Can you still not read chemosignals? You’ve been a werewolf for how long now? I know Scott went over then with you.”

Flushing, Liam mutters, “Shut up, there’s a lot of smells to remember.” 

“You only need to know the basics.” 

“Which are?” 

Theo holds up a hand and ticks off his fingers as he says, “ _ Attraction _ , melancholy, anger, happiness, and fear.” At Liam’s surprised look he adds, “There’s only five, everything else is a subset so they’ll smell similar to the basics.” 

That’s… surprisingly easier sounding than having a whole list of things to remember. Scott’s never put it in those terms before. 

Theo takes a drink of his sprite and gestures towards the window. “When we were out there, you could smell him, right?  _ Brett.”  _

There’s something acidic about the way he says Brett’s name. Liam doesn’t like Brett either but he doesn’t know what Theo could possibly have against him other than his height. No one deserves to be that tall. 

“He smelled a little… sweet, like fruit maybe…” Liam says slowly, trying to think back to the interaction. 

“That’s what attraction smells like.” 

Liam snorts. It’s just so improbable. “Maybe he was into you? He hates me.” 

“Or he hates that you're not into him,” Theo says conspiratorially. 

Liam blinks at that. He had been into Brett though. Back when he was a freshman first trying out for the team. He’d had a whole crisis over it and everything. 

“Who says I’m not into him.” 

Pale eyes meet Liam’s, curiosity clear in their depths. “Are you?” 

“I used to be,” Liam says. He ignores the little voice in the back of his head that’s asking why he’s telling Theo any of this. He hasn’t even told mason this. “Not anymore, though.” 

Theo looks away, attention focusing on the waitress bringing them their food. “Is it because he kept growing and you stopped.” 

“Again,” Liam stresses as the waitress puts their plates down in front of them, “you’re like an inch taller than me. So anytime you call me short, you’re calling yourself short, too.” 

“An inch is a mile to some,” Theo says in a way that’s oddly reminiscent of Stiles. 

The reminder that Theo used to be friends with Stiles when he was a kid is a little like a kick to the teeth. Liam forgets that Theo was a child once, with friends and family—he also forgets that Theo has committed honest to god murder. The latter doesn’t happen often. Just when Theo’s like this, all teasing words, and slow smiles, when he seems like every other teenage asshole Liam has met. 

Liam stares down at his eggs and frowns. He’s having breakfast with a homicidal maniac like it’s just a normal Tuesday. He stabs a bite of hash browns with his fork and huffs. He guesses in Beacon Hills this  _ is a normal Tuesday. _

“It’s kind of cheating to know who likes who,” Liam muses, veering sharply always from murder. He doesn’t like the reminder that the guy across from him has killed people and is still his uncontested soulmate. 

“An upper hand isn’t cheating,” Theo tells him as he digs into his own food. He’s slower at it than Liam, neater, despite looking half-starved. 

“Fine. But it’s not fair.” 

Theo looks up at him and Liam doesn’t know if it’s a trick of the light but Theo’s eyes drop down to his throat and then away again. “Nothing is really fair, Liam. You should know that by now.” 

Liam almost wants to say that’s a fair point but then he doesn’t know who would be right in the end. So, instead, he shovels food into his mouth and doesn’t say another word. It’s probably better if they don’t talk anyway. 

When they part ways again, Liam resolves to try a little harder to avoid him. He doesn’t need any more complications in his life and a soulmate that doesn’t know he’s a soulmate is a complication of the highest order. Especially when that soulmate is one Theodore Raeken.


	3. Chapter 3

“This town isn’t big enough for the two of us,” Liam mutters the second he turns the corner in the town library and comes face to face with Theo. 

One of them needs to move. Preferably far, far away. New York, or China. He thinks Theo might be too much of a stubborn asshole to pack up and go which leaves Liam as the one running away. That’s fine. Liam’s always wanted to travel, maybe even plant roots in a new continent where there’s no Theo or assassins or a Nemeton. 

Liam pushes the thought away before he becomes too attached to the idea. He has to stay here, he’s acting alpha for Beacon Hills now that Scott has gone away to college. He can’t leave the town unprotected, can’t leave his friends and family to fend for themselves. 

“Auditioning as a cowboy?” Theo asks as he idly flips through a book. He doesn’t even look up at Liam, his brows furrowed down at the pages. Liam tries to catch sight of the title, but Theo's hand is covering it. It’s a thick book though, a little dusty. 

“Why would I audition as a cowboy?” Liam grumbles and moves to shift his backpack only to remember last second he’d dropped it on one of the tables to claim it before other students started to show up. 

Theo glances up at him through his lashes. “How should I know? This is California, maybe you want to corner the werewolf actor market.” 

“Derek says there’s already werewolf actors,” Liam tells him, leaning against one of the shelves. “I’m not interested in acting anyway.” 

“Good, you’re terrible at it,” Theo says snapping his book closed, a little cloud of dust puffs up and Liam watches him wrinkle his nose. “Would hate to see you embarrass yourself.” 

“Liar,” Liam says, letting out a little laugh. “You would enjoy it.” 

“You’re right. I would,” Theo agrees easily, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

Liam glances down at the book in his hand. “What are you doing here? You don’t even go to school, what do you need a library for?” 

Rolling his eyes, Theo says, “Some people like reading for fun, Liam.” 

“Then read on your phone like every other teenager, you weirdo.” 

Theo touches a hand to his chest, a faux serious expression on his face. “And deprive you of my presence? Never.” 

“Please. I insist.” Liam says deadpanned. 

Theo huffs out a breath and pushes away from the shelf he’s leaning against. He reaches out to the shelf behind Liam and shoves the book in his hands between two other large tomes. Liam watches, trying to catch the title but instead he catches something else. He feels like his entire body freezes up, his lips parting on a sharp exhale. 

Just beneath the cuff of Theo’s jacket sleeve is a familiar spider web of fine black lines enclosing his wrist. Liam only catches a quick glance, but it’s enough to make his heart stumble in his chest and kickstart up double time. Even though he couldn’t see the whole thing, he knows… he knows that it's his hand. He can’t remember touching Theo there. Maybe it hasn’t happened yet or maybe it has, he just knows that his hand is forever etched into Theo’s Skin. 

His throat goes dry as he tries to swallow the absolute  _ nothing _ in his mouth. Liam wants to reach out and touch him. He wants to trace the thin black lines. See if they feel different. See if Theo reacts. But that would be weird and he’s already being weird. He knows he is because Theo is staring at the side of his face perplexedly. 

Does Theo know? 

_ He can’t.  _

He would have done something, right? Mentioned it? Used it as leverage? Blackmail? 

He doesn’t seem any different than before. So, maybe he doesn’t know that it’s Liam. 

Liam backs away, stumbling as he goes. “I--uh--I need to...yeah.” He walks right out of the library and runs home to bury his face into his pillow. He didn’t realize until this moment that a small part of him had really been hoping that Theo was unmarked, that he wasn’t made for Theo. That he didn’t complete Theo in some way too. That little flicker of hope was snubbed out now, lost to the fact that they are mutual soulmates. That they are perfect for one another in some unknown cosmic way. 

“Fuck you,” he mumbles into his pillow and hopes that whoever decided this hears him. “Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.” 

It’s only later that night he remembers his backpack on the library table he had claimed to work at. He has his mother drive him back, but when he checks he doesn’t find any of his things where he left them. 

“Damn it,” he curses, kicking lightly at the legs of the table and scrubbing at his face. Does his life really need to be so damn unfair? First Theo is his soulmate and now Liam has to rewrite half of a fucking government essay too? What’s next? Hunters? A crazy school counselor out to murder them all? When will his bad luck finally reach its end? When he’s dead? God, he hopes not. 

He kicks the table again, a little harder and doesn’t care when he hears the wood splinter. He just turns around and marches back out of the library. He wonders if his teacher will accept  _ My soulmate is a murderer and I hate him  _ as an adequate excuse for not having his paper on Thursday. 

He doubts it. 

* * *

The list his mother texted him is longer than he expected it to be, and he knows for a fact that it will only grow the longer he’s at the store because she’ll end up texting him several items she’d forgotten to put on the original list. He represses a heavy sigh, it’s early and he’s sleepy. Liam hates shopping on days like today because the store is overcrowded. He wants nothing more than to run down every aisle to grab the things he needs and zoom out of the store, but he’s sure that would get back to his parents and he would be berated on proper shopping decorum. If that’s even a real thing. 

“Cream cheese,” Liam mumbles to himself as he shuffles down the dairy aisle, eyes scanning the shelves for the brand his mother likes best. “Cream cheese, cream cheese, where are you?” 

He’s just about to leave the aisle and try again after he’s gotten everything else when something grips at the back of his shirt and yanks. Liam makes a startled noise, arms flailing as he stumbles back over his own feet and nearly falls. He just barely manages to stay upright, the basket in his hand sliding from his fingers and landing with a loud thwack on the linoleum. 

The hold on him disappears and Liam turns around with an irritated growl, knowing already who it is. “Theo, what the fuck?” 

He’s met with amused eyes and a tilted smile. “Hey, there, short stuff.” 

Ignoring the short comment, Liam pokes a finger into Theo’s face. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack, asshole?” 

Knowing Theo he probably is. The dick would pat himself on the back for a job well done, murder without even getting his hands dirty. 

“I said your name twice,” Theo tells him batting Liam’s hand away from his face with a roll of his eyes. “You didn’t hear me.” 

“Or maybe I was ignoring you,” Liam says grumpily, “ever think about that?” 

“Or maybe  _ you didn’t hear me _ ,” Theo says again, pointedly this time. He frowns ever so slightly as he rocks back onto the heels of his shoes. “You should be more aware of your surroundings. Even if nothing is going on in this disaster town right now you never know when someone might try to kidnap you.” 

“In broad daylight on the dairy aisle of a Whole Foods?” Liam sounds skeptical. “I’m kind of big to successfully cart off under these circumstances.”

“Well,” Theo says slowly and Liam knows he’s about to be an asshole, “Not  _ that  _ big. Besides, it’s not like it would be the first--or even the second time--you’ve been kidnapped.” 

Liam makes a face at him and barely tempers the urge to kick Theo in the shin. Barely. He doesn’t even know how Theo found out about those two incidents. He wasn’t even around for them. 

“So?” Liam grunts after a long moment of quiet between them. “Was there something you needed? Or did you just want to fuck with me?”

Theo slides his hands into the pockets of his jacket and says, “I have your backpack.” 

“And you’ll give it back in exchange for?” Liam asks with a frown. He doesn’t really have anything to trade for it. Nothing that Theo would want anyway unless he wants in the pack and then that would be a straight-up no. 

Theo frowns right back. “Nothing.” 

Liam blinks at him in surprise. “So... you won’t give it back?” 

The look Theo gives him says a lot about what he thinks about Liam. Mainly that he thinks Liam is an idiot. “I don’t want anything. I’m just saying I have it if you want it back. No haggling necessary.” 

“Why not?” Liam asks suspiciously as he bends to scoop up the basket he dropped. When he straightens up again he pins Theo with a look of utter disbelief. “You always want something.” 

“There’s nothing worthwhile to trade a backpack for, Liam,” Theo says it like it’s obvious. 

Theo obviously doesn’t know how much Liam hates government assignments and how he would literally give up two toes just so he doesn’t have to rewrite that half of an essay, but Liam isn’t going to mention that on the very weird off chance that Theo takes him up on it. 

“Alright then. Where is it?” 

“In my back pocket,” Theo says sarcastically, “where do you think?” 

Liam exhales slowly through his nose, gathering every bit of strength he has in his body. He hears the familiar chime of his phone, knows it’s his mother with an even longer grocery list, so he sucks in another deep breath and counts to three before exhaling one more time as he reaches into his pocket to fish his phone out. He almost doesn’t want to look at the list, but his mom works hard and so does his father and honestly, with all the shit Liam puts his family through, shopping is the least he can do. 

Thumbing open his phone, Liam glances over the list and then peeks up at Theo. “Any chance you can just wait outside for me?”

Theo snorts at the suggestion. 

Liam sighs for what feels like the millionth time today. “Didn’t think so.” 

“Come on,” he grumbles at Theo, turning towards the front of the store. “We need a shopping cart, this basket isn’t big enough.”

Theo reaches the cart corral first and tugs one from the lineup, it screeches as he drags it back, the left front wheel shaking in protest. Liam makes a face at it, but Theo looks delighted as he pushes it back and forth to hear the annoying squeak again. He looks up at Liam, a sly smile on his face. 

With a glare, Liam shakes his head. “No, don’t even think about it.” 

“Why not?” Theo asks as he pushes it towards Liam. “Someone has to use it, Liam.” Then he moves past Liam towards the produce section. “It’ll be a good test of patience for you, short stuff.” 

Liam watches him go, every line of his body looking smug, every squeak of the wheel triumphant. Liam glances down at the basket of eggs and butter in his hands and wonders if throwing it at Theo’s head would get him banned from the store. His fingers flex on the handle as he imagines the look of shock on Theo’s face, the irritation, eyes dark and mouth turned into a dangerous smile as he plots revenge...

He decides not to chance it, he likes this store a lot better than the Walmart several blocks away. 

* * *

Shopping with Theo is a bizarre experience. It’s almost domestic, except for the part where Theo keeps running him over with the cart. Liam stares at the rows of bread, one hand lightly laid on top of a loaf. He’s supposed to be feeling for the softest one because his dad is picky about his bread, but he keeps getting tangled up in his own thoughts about the guy standing next to him. The most prominent thought being that he’s actually grocery shopping with his soulmate, this is a dream come true for some people, a glimpse into what could be a bright and happy future. 

Liam almost wants to scoff. Bright and happy? He’s lucky if Theo doesn’t sell him to some hunter mafia for a sandwich. Which Liam wouldn’t put past the guy if he knew just what Liam was to him. His jaw clenches at the thought. He wonders if anyone else has had this shitty of luck when it comes to being bound to someone for all eternity? 

“You want me to leave you and the bread alone?” Theo asks, body leaning over the handles of the shopping cart lazily. “You look pretty close.” 

Liam rolls his eyes and moves on to the next loaf of bread, it’s softer than the first. “Shut up,” he mumbles. He plucks the loaf from the shelf and pauses before dropping it into the cart. 

Theo does know. 

Theo knows that Liam is his soulmate. Liam can’t explain it, it’s just a feeling that swells in the pit of his stomach and chugs like oil through his veins. Theo’s too smart not to have figured it out. The realization is a weird one, but it explains things that previously didn’t make any sense. Why else would he hang out around Liam? Show up all over town and yet still remain unseen by either Mason or Corey? 

Suddenly nervous, Liam licks his dry lips and raises his eyes to look at Theo. Why hasn’t he said anything about it? Why hasn’t he used it to his advantage? Is he just waiting for the right moment? 

Theo catches him staring and stares right back, eyes pale and secretive beneath the fluorescent lights. 

Liam is the first to look away, hand dropping the bread into the child's seat of the cart to protect it from being squished by the other groceries. “Come on, there are still several things on the list.” He starts off towards the canned food aisle without waiting for Theo. 

He’s halfway to the cans of chili when there’s a sudden pain in his heel. He grimaces, head snapping around to glower at Theo. Eyes wide with false innocence, Theo raises his hands like he’s surrendering. “Sorry, accident.” 

_ Liar _ , Liam thinks vehemently but keeps his teeth clenched. He turns, eyes going back to scanning the shelves when there’s another sharp pain in his other heel and a little thud as Theo runs him over again with the shopping cart. 

Theo gives him that same look, but there’s a twitch at the edges of his mouth where he’s just barely holding back a grin. Liam glares at him, his whole body twisting around to face Theo. 

“You run me over one more time and I’m going to ram this shopping cart right up your as--” 

“ _ Mr. Dunbar _ ,” a shrill voice chides from behind him. “ _ You’d better not finish that sentence, young man. _ ” 

Liam tries not to flinch at the high octave as he turns to meet the stern eyes of Mrs. Howardson. He knows as soon as he lays eyes on her that his parents will hear about this in excruciating detail. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” 

She sniffs disapprovingly at him, sharp eyes staring him down the way only a little old woman in a mink fur coat and bright blue eye-shadow can. It’s a look that cuts you right to your soul and haunts your dreams even as an adult. “It’s not me you should be apologizing to, boy.” 

Liam blinks. “I… what?” 

One sharp red nail raises to point at Theo, “Go on.” 

_ No, way,  _ Liam thinks. She must be out of her mind if she thinks Liam will ever apologize to Theo. 

“Yeah, Liam,” Theo says, posture delighted and expression entirely too pleased. “Go on.” 

Liam grits his teeth as he stares petulantly back at Theo. “I’m. Sorry. Theo.”

“Good,” Mrs. Howardson says, her sharp eyes turning to Theo. “Now it’s your turn young man. Apologize for running him over with your shopping cart.” 

The smug look falls away from Theo’s face. “What?” 

“Don’t make me say it again,” she warns. 

Liam isn’t entirely sure what such a tiny old woman could do to Theo. Still, Theo looks strangely chastised, “Sorry.” 

She clicks her tongue as though she doesn’t entirely believe him or approve of his half-hearted apology, but then she nods, the shiny scarf covering her curls catching the light and glimmering. “Good. Have a nice day gentleman.” 

“You too, Mrs. Howardson,” Liam says quickly as the woman pushes her cart past them to leave the aisle. As soon as she’s out of sight, Liam’s attention is back on Theo. Liam wants it to be known that it was on this day that he witnessed a miracle. “The big bad chimera of death was owned by a little old lady.” 

Theo smiles but there’s something dangerous about it. “Is that so?” 

Liam narrows his eyes. “If she dies within the year, I’ll blame you and tell Scott. He actually likes Mrs. Howardson.” 

Rolling his eyes, Theo says, “She’s half-dead already, there’s no challenge.” 

“Asshole,” Liam huffs under his breath and steals away the cart, purposely dragging the wheels over Theo’s white converse. “You lose driving privileges.” 

Theo shoves his suddenly free hands into his jacket pockets and follows behind Liam. “Fine” 

Liam doesn’t realize until they’re in the checkout line that Theo was joking and there wasn’t actually any blood lust in his words. He also doesn’t realize until he’s loading his groceries onto the conveyor belt that there’s way more stuff than what was on his multiple lists and that some of it he’s never even seen before. He shoots a look to Theo who just gives him a shrug. Liam debates whether he wants to separate his things from Theo’s but in the end decides it would just take longer. He doesn’t even know how Theo managed to sneak that much stuff into the cart without him noticing. 

* * *

It feels like actual years have passed when Liam finally steps out of the store, shopping cart filled to the brim with shopping bags. It’s later, the sky a honey gold instead of clear summer blue. Liam feels like he deserves a reward for how well he handled everything inside that brightly lit hell hole of a store. 

“Come on, I’m parked back there,” Theo says, shoulder nudging Liam’s as he passes him, one hand gesturing towards the end of the lot. Liam spots his dark truck, parked in the same spot he was last time Liam ran into him here. That also feels like years ago instead of just weeks. Liam wonders if that's a Theo effect or a Beacon Hills thing. He’ll probably never find the answer. 

There’s a bit of a struggle as they rummage through the bags, separating Theo’s things from Liam’s, even though Liam paid for all of it. Theo has mostly canned food and drinks. Liam does slip him a bit of fresh produce too. He refuses to be blamed if the guy gets scurvy. 

Theo pulls open the back passenger door to his truck and pulls out a backpack. “Here.” He hands it over to Liam who immediately shoulders it. He can’t afford to lose it again, neither can his grades. 

“Thanks,” he says awkwardly, unable to meet Theo’s eyes. 

“Yeah,” Theo says back. 

“I should--” 

There’s a slam of a door and the angry strut of a person coming towards them. Liam’s mouth snaps closed as he turns to see the officer that had berated Theo before coming towards them. 

“What did I tell you about parking your truck here?” 

Theo’s face closes down, a curtain hiding every ounce of emotion in his face falling over it. 

The cop shakes his head, “I’m going to have to issue you a ticket. You’re lucky I don’t have your truck towed.” 

Liam frowns at the officer. He can’t help it, his mother is a lawyer and while he has picked up a few things over the years. “Excuse me, is there a reason you’re writing him a ticket? He’s not doing anything illegal.” 

“I told him last time that he can’t park his truck here,” the cop says not even sparing Liam a glance. 

“He’s a paying customer of this store,” Liam says, holding up one of his grocery bags and gesturing to the ones in Theo’s hand. “We came here to shop.”

The cop looks from Theo to Liam, eyes staring at the bags skeptically. 

“Besides,” Liam continues, a little louder. “We were just leaving before you showed up.” 

There’s a long silence and a hard stare from the cop. Liam does his best not to fidget or look guilty of anything, instead, he goes for annoyed and bored. The cop turns his angry eyes back to Theo and points his ticket book at him. “This is your last warning, kid. I catch you here again and you’re getting a ticket.” 

Theo nods, and Liam tries not to think about how Theo hadn’t even tried to defend himself. 

They watch as the cop climbs back into his car, silent and still, they wait for him to pull out of the parking lot and drive down the road. From the corner of his eye, Liam can see the way Theo’s body loosens, the tense set of his shoulders easing. He wonders how many times Theo has been through this, because despite popular belief, Liam isn’t stupid. He gets what just happened. It doesn’t take a scientist to catalog the bruises beneath Theo’s eyes and the wrinkle of his clothes, the way he’s grown a little thinner, a little paler. Theo is homeless. There’s nothing Liam can do about that, but… 

He doesn’t look at Theo as he speaks, his eyes focused on the road still. “There’s an old subway station on Bent street. No one goes there because it’s supposedly haunted by some sort of death dog. Even the cops avoid it because it’s better to avoid freaky shit in this town.” 

It’s several seconds before Theo says, “I’m guessing the death dog isn’t actually a death dog.” 

Liam snorts, eyes finally flicking over to look at Theo only to see him looking right back. “No. It was just a very angsty Derek Hale.” 

Theo doesn’t thank him or acknowledge that he needs a place to stay but Liam never expected him to. They go their separate ways, Liam back to the safety and warmth of his home, and Theo off to wherever Theo goes. 


	4. Chapter 4

Since the start of his whole soulmate fiasco, Liam has never seen Theo around the school. That doesn’t stop Liam’s eyes from searching, his gaze wandering up from his books, away from his friends, his teammates. It’s the same as before Hayden left, only worse now. There’s nothing stopping him from seeking Theo out, no guilt weighing on his soul now that Hayden is gone and he no longer feels strangely like he’s cheating on her. There’s just Liam’s roving eyes and the forever present stain on his skin. 

“You’re being weird,” Mason says as Liam drops down next to him on the bleachers after practice.

Liam steals Mason’s bottle of water and takes a long drag, the water dribbling down over his chin in cold rivulets. He wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand and arches a brow. “How so?” 

Mason shrugs, dark eyes watching Liam carefully. “I don’t know, there’s just something different about you. I thought maybe it was you still being caught up on Hayden but… dude you haven’t even mentioned her in two weeks.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” 

“No,” Mason says slowly, “It’s just not a  _ you _ thing. I know you, man, and you’re being weird, well, weirder than usual, anyway.” 

Liam rolls his eyes and resists the urge to nudge Mason off the bench. “I’m fine.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“I’m sure. Hayden leaving hurt, I’m not going to pretend that it didn’t,” Liam says as he stretches his legs in front of him, he likes the burn in his muscles after a hard practice. “But I can’t pine away forever. I have to move on eventually. That’s how life works, isn’t it?” 

“That’s… wise and sounds nothing like you at all. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re smart, you have to be, but you’re handling everything so much better than I thought….” Mason’s eyes furrow, his mouth pursing in thought. “Wait, hold on. You said, move on.” 

There’s an accusing finger pointing in Liam’s face, just inches from his nose. “Dude,  _ you like someone, don’t you?”  _

Liam goes warm at the words and then ice cold. “I don’t.” 

“Liar.” There’s a disbelieving snort from his best friend and then rapid fire questions. “Does she go here? Does she like you? Is she  _ pretty _ ?” 

Liam looks away, across the field, eyes focusing on the dark stretch of the trees. He knows his voice is edging on grumpy as he says, “No.” 

“No to what?” 

“All of it.” 

“She’s not pretty?” 

No, Liam thinks again, sourly. Theo’s ugly inside like a pit of black tar. It doesn’t matter that Liam might actually have started enjoying the brief run-ins. It’s hard not to, Theo has a way of getting under his skin, of keeping him on his toes… it’s unlike anything he’s experienced with anyone else. Even with all of that, though, Liam still won’t let his mark, or his fate, ever blind him to what and who Theo is. 

Because Theo hasn’t really changed, has he? His circumstances are just different. There’s no array of powers thrumming through him, no dread doctors backing him up. There’s no clear, easy cut path for him to his goal of whatever his goal was. World domination? People bowing at his feet? 

Liam doesn’t even know what Theo’s original end goal was. He knew Theo had wanted power—a lot of it, but he never figured out just what Theo was going to do with it all—with a pack of who he had hoped would be ruthless monsters just like him. What’s Theo’s goal now? What’s he after? What will he do to get it? Liam doesn't know and that’s what scares him most. He doesn’t know anything about the man who he’s tied to for forever. 

“No, ” Liam says idly, “he’s not pretty.” 

There’s a resounding silence from beside him and it takes several seconds for Liam to realize that he said that outloud. He jerks his head towards Mason excuses already forming on his lips. 

Mason looks surprised, brows raised high on his forehead, he’s calm when he says, “I didn’t know you liked guys.” 

“It’s…” Liam shrugs, throat clicking as he swallows past the lump in it. “It’s complicated.” 

Nodding, Mason drops a hand onto Liam’s shoulder. “I get it, trust me. You can tell me about it when you’re ready. No judgement, obviously.” Mason gives him a bright smile. 

Liam tries to smile back but he can’t quite get his mouth to curve. Mason says he won’t judge but that’s not entirely true. Not in this case. Mason will be horrified. Mason will be disappointed. Maybe even disgusted. Liam feels a little sick himself. How is he ever supposed to admit who Theo is to him? He can barely admit it to himself some days. 

“Maybe some other time, yeah?” 

“Any time, bro.” 

* * *

The conversation with Mason and his own thoughts weigh heavily on him making it impossible to find sleep. He tosses and turns in his bed, every inch of his body uncomfortable, he can’t just lay here anymore. He needs to do something, run or scream or punch something, but it’s late and the last thing he wants to do is wake up his parents. They’ll try to sit him down and talk and that… that isn’t something he feels up for. Not now, maybe not ever because he knows the stress of everything will break him—crack him wide open and everything he’s been keeping from them for the last couple years will just come tumbling out. He can’t deal with spilling his secrets, he’s held onto them too tightly for too long now. He needs them. 

Huffing quietly, he shoves away the blankets and tiptoes to the bathroom. The light is bright and clinical when he flips it on. It washes him out, makes him look tired and pale—or maybe that’s really just the way he looks, he doesn’t know and he doesn’t really care at this point. He feels like hell, he might as well look like it too. 

He thinks, briefly, about showering, but dismisses the idea. Instead, he leans over the sink with the water running, the sound soothing in its continuous state, the water cool as it pools in the cup of his hands under the steady flow. He closes his eyes and breathes. He hasn’t done this in a while, years in fact. It was a technique that one of his old therapists had suggested. Washing his hands, imagining the sludge of dark emotions being cleaned away. 

He forgot how much it actually helps. 

The water is cold. Grounding. It builds in him the same anchoring feeling that Hayden used to. The feeling that Theo had prodded at when they were in the shoe store. Liam exhales heavily and opens his eyes, his breath has dogged the glass but he can still see the blurry lines of his reflection. 

Without meaning to, his eyes drop to the black lines around his neck and stay there. He doesn’t let himself look at it often, his eyes always skirting over the mark in the mornings when he brushes his teeth and hair. He doesn’t like the reminder that it’s there, forever branded into his skin for the whole world to gawk at. Going back to school is a nightmare. The first day had been nothing but people staring. Beacon Hills’ very own soulmarked citizen. He’s only the fourth one for the town in the span of 60 some odd years. 

He snorts. You would think that in a place rife with supernatural happenings there would be more people gifted with marks, but no. It’s just him and old Mrs. klimkowski here and honestly he’s surprised she’s even still alive at the ripe old age of 99. 

The point is, Liam doesn’t look at his mark—avoids it like the plague itself is wrapped around his neck and honestly, considering who he’s bound to it might as well be the plague. People certainly look at him like he’s got something. He can hear them whispering about him everywhere he goes. It’s hard to tune it all out when you have super hearing. They all want to know who’s hand it is, if he’s been touched already. They all want answers that Liam doesn’t want anyone to know. 

He glares at the mark, one hand coming up to touch it. It’s smooth, feels like the rest of his skin. If he closes his eyes he wouldn’t even be able to tell anything was there at all. 

But it is there. 

He fits his hand over it and finds that Theo’s hand is just a little bigger than his, fingers a little thicker, longer. He swallows dryly at the way the black peeks out from beneath his wet fingers. A cold droplet of water slides from his thumb and drips onto his collarbone before traveling down his shirt. It makes him shiver, his hand jerking away. 

Gripping the sink Liam looks himself in the eyes. 

He’s never said it outloud before but he wants to... or maybe needs to. His mouth parts, throat clicking dryly. It’s hard to say, even in the quiet solitude of his bathroom. It’s hard to admit anywhere outside the safety of his mind. And even in his mind it’s hard for him to accept. 

“Theo’s my soulmate.” He whispers it, voice shaking. 

Something like acceptance settles heavily over his shoulders. 

“Theo’s my soulmate.” He repeats it with a laugh, the sound of it ugly and bitter as he slumps against the sink, the cold porcelain digging into his hip through the thin material of his pajamas. 

He wants a refund.

* * *

Liam feels drained—which is to be expected after not sleeping at all. It makes the day drag by slowly, makes every noise seem amplified, every scent harsher. It’s a walking nightmare for someone like him. He doesn’t even know how many times he’s been reprimanded for dozing off in the middle of class but he knows it’s more than four. Mason keeps giving him worried looks but Liam just smiles them off.

“Video games,” he says as they trudge down the hall towards the east exit, Corey right behind them. 

“Uhuh,” Mason says disbelievingly. 

“You look like a zombie,” Corey quips, giving him a small nudge. “Maybe you should tell coach your sick?” 

“Maybe,” Liam murmurs, one hand flying up to shield his eyes from the sudden brightness of the sun as they step outside. 

Mason plucks at his sleeve, “more like definitely. Go home, Liam. Get some sleep.” 

Liam looks between Mason and Corey’s worried faces. He sighs loudly. “Fine. I’ll tell Coach I don’t feel good.” 

The relief on Mason’s face almost makes Liam feel a little guilty for worrying him so much, but he’s not ready to tell his best friend yet what’s really bothering him. 

He manages to beg off from practice, with a promise to run extra suicides the next day which he knows he’ll regret but he can barely keep his eyes open as it is now. The coach gives him a hard look and Liam doesn’t even try to make himself look pitiful, he knows he already does. 

“All right, get out of here, I’m tired of looking at your droopy face, Dunbar,” the coach says waving his clipboard at Liam. “Go.” 

Liam nods jerkily and heads for the locker room to grab his bag. He wants nothing more than to be home, curled up in bed, but as he grabs his backpack he knows with certainty that he’s not going home. He doesn’t know where he’s going though, he just feels in his bones, in his soul, that it’s somewhere important. 

He lets his feet carry him out of the locker room and off the field. He doesn’t have a ride home, the bus won’t be back for an hour and Corey still has to run practice, but Liam’s legs don’t seem to mind. They walk him right off campus grounds and onto the cracked sidewalk. He’s going in the direction of his house, taking the Main Street through town like he always does but when he gets to Wicker street he doesn’t turn left. He turns right towards the small strip of what is downtown Beacon Hills. There’s the usual bustle of people going in and out of shops, cars driving past him with music blaring, but he tunes it all out. He’s looking for something and he knows he can’t stop until he finds it. 

And he doesn’t. He keeps on walking. Turning twice more until he ends up on a quieter street. He’s close. 

It’s a laundromat. A sketchy little thing tucked away into a corner, windows covered with advertisements and peeling paint. That’s where Liam’s legs have taken him. He comes to an about stop just outside the doors. He doesn’t have to go inside, doesn’t even need to peek through a window to know that Theo is in there. He feels it, the way he’d felt that Theo was his all those months ago. 

It’s like a tug in his chest, some weird phantom string pulling him along to where it thinks he should be. Liam stands there for a long time on the little cement stoop outside the glass doors. There’s something telling him to go inside but he refuses it, shoves it violently away from him and stumbles backwards away from the shop. 

When he turns to go he sees Theo’s truck and the actual confirmation that Theo is really here, just inside the shop feels like a sucker punch. Liam doesn’t want to know these things, he doesn’t want to be drawn to Theo. He doesn’t want to just…  _ know.  _

“Fuck you,” he whispers on a half hysterical laugh. 

He hopes fate hears him. Or destiny or god or whatever being did this. 

He shakes his head and takes several steps back, eyes on the truck. 

From his left there’s a jangle of a bell and the sound of shoes scuffing on pavement. He doesn’t have to look to know it’s Theo. 

Theo doesn’t say anything so Liam doesn’t either and without ever looking at him, Liam leaves. He forces himself to walk away, one foot in front of the other he goes home, marches himself right into his house, door closing with a quiet click of defeat and climbs into bed. 

He begs sleep to come as he hides beneath his blankets and welcomes it with open arms when it finally does. 

* * *

The tug doesn’t go away. It stays, nestled in his chest, warm and coaxing it tries to lure him from the safety of his life to wherever Theo is. 

Ignoring it is a challenge, but Liam does it. He ignores and ignores. Throwing himself into homework and practice and hanging out with Mason and Corey to the point that he’s sure they’re both sick of seeing his face. They don’t say so, but Liam knows they need some space to be alone. If Liam’s honest with himself, he needs the space too, but he’s terrified of what the lack of a distraction might lead to—who it might lead to. 

Still, when Corey gives him a pointed look on Friday after school and asks, “are you coming over, too?” 

Liam shakes his head. “No, I’m going home. I need to finish up that calc homework.” 

Mason laughs. “On a Friday? You have all weekend.” 

“I know,” Liam lowers his voice and grins, “but I’m pretty sure Corey wants to jump your bones, man, and I’m not interested in watching that. So, I’m going home.” 

“I really do,” Corey says without a hint of shame, arms wrapping around Mason’s waist and chin propping on Mason’s shoulder. He smiles at Liam. “Thanks, Dunbar.” 

“Oh,” Mason’s voice goes high, his cheeks flushing darkly. “Yeah, that’s— I’ll see you tomorrow, Liam.” 

Liam snorts, hitching his bag onto his shoulder he waves. “Yeah, yeah, have fun. Be safe and tell me absolutely no details.” 

He watches them go for a moment and then heads for the bus. It's probably a bad idea to be alone when all his body wants to do it follow the feeling in his chest, but he can’t rely on his friends every second of the day. He needs to learn how to cope on his own, fight it until it’s a dull enough ache that he forgets it even exists. 

Liam honestly doesn’t know what to do with himself once he’s home. He’d lied about his homework, he’s already finished everything. He’s never been so caught up on school work in his life. The whole avoiding Theo thing is a godsend to his grades. He’s pretty sure his teachers might stage an intervention at some point just to make sure he’s actually himself. 

He throws himself onto his bed and fumbles for his tv remote and the controller to his xbox. He’ll play some games or maybe he’ll watch some shitty tv. Either way, he’ll be fine. 

He will. 

* * *

He’s not. 

He’s out of bed before he even realizes he’s moving, his brain bleary with sleep and limbs clumsy. It’s a small struggle to slip on his shoes but after that it’s easy to sneak out of the house, the front door closing softly so as not to wake his parents. 

In the back of Liam’s head, he knows it’s late. Somewhere just after three but there’s no room for concern in his jumbled brain. He just, he needs to walk. He’s sweaty, heart racing in his chest, body starving for touch. There had been a dream, it’s hazy now but Liam knows what it was. He can remember, with a vague certainty, the way a hand had wrapped around his throat, a body pressing into his, a voice rumbling in his ear, dark and dirty. Liam had wanted it. Wanted all of it. 

He’s stumbling down the stairs of the old subway station before he can convince himself to turn around and go home. Logically, Liam knows how foolish this is, how dangerous. That doesn’t stop him. 

Theo is here somewhere. In this dark, dank place and Liam needs to find him, needs… 

What? 

What does he need? 

He stops at the bottom of the stairs. He can see the train car, a dark silhouette just in front of him. He breathes heavily, tries to find sense in the sudden madness of his mind. 

Why is he here? 

He doesn’t know. 

The only thing he knows is that he’d woken up from a strange dream, full of a foreign desire. He’d been aching, the pull of his chest like claws in his skin dragging him from his house. Even now, his feet try to move him closer to where he knows Theo is sleeping inside the train car. 

What is it that he needs from Theo? His touch? His voice? His presence in general? 

“Fuck,” the word rattles out of him. His voice sounds strange, thick and too breathy. Did he run here? It’s a long walk but it feels like only moments since he’d woken up. 

He can hear the scurry of rats down the track, fleeing from him. It’s three in the morning and he’s standing in an unlit, abandoned subway station with an erection. Liam feels like an idiot. He doesn’t need Theo for anything, even if his entire body disagrees with him. He sits on the bottom step of the stairs and digs his nails into the meat of his thighs. 

He’ll just sit here for a little while until the need to move closer eases—if it eases. 

God, he hopes it does. 

* * *

At first light, Liam is on Mason’s front porch. Several video games in his bag and a horde of snacks to binge eat. He’d tried to give Mason and himself space but that had proved to be a terrible idea. He won’t make that mistake again. He won’t let his body dictate where he goes. Mason and Corey will just have to deal with him. He doesn’t trust himself to be left alone anymore. 

* * *

He knew that being able to avoid Theo wouldn’t last forever, but he’d thought that he’d have a little more time before he had to interact with Theo again. Longer than three days anyway. 

He should have known Theo would fuck up that plan. 

It’s Tuesday and Liam is fresh from practice, his hair damp and his body pleasantly tired. All he wants to do is throw his body down across his bed and close his eyes until dinner time. He doesn’t get to do that though because when he opens his bedroom door he’s greeted by the sight of Theo laid out on his bed, arms behind his head and a cocky grin on his face. 

“What--” 

“Your dad let me in,” Theo says lightly, brows raising. “He’s a doctor, right?”

“I—Yeah, but… what are you doing here?” 

Theo pushes himself upright slowly, a languid shrug rolling off his shoulders. 

“Fairs fair isn’t it?” Theo asks lightly. “You barged into my room without knocking so...” 

Liam feels his skin break out in sweat. He hadn’t realized Theo was awake that night. He had been a little out of his mind though so, it possible he missed the signs. 

Theo cocks his head to the side and stares at Liam patronizingly. “I mean, I could have come while you were sleeping, but I’m not sure I want to be as creepy as you.” 

Letting out a little incredulous laugh, Liam says, “You’ve literally killed people. Out of the two of us in this room, I think you win all the creep awards, Raeken.” 

“I never watched anyone while they were sleeping.” 

“One, I don’t believe that for a fucking second. Two, I wasn’t watching you sleep,” Liam says grumpily from where he’s still standing in his doorway. He should move, close his door, but he’s weirded out by this whole situation. Theo is literally in his room, on his bed like this is something they do every day. He rolls his eyes just so he’ll stop staring. “Three, I didn’t even see you, so I wasn’t watching you sleep. Why would I even want to?” 

“How should I know,” Theo asks lazily. Liam can feel his eyes on him. “What were you doing there?” 

A memory of a dream flickers just behind Liam’s eyes. Hot hands, a warm body, a voice in his ear. Liam feels himself go warm. 

“You…” Theo cuts himself off and Liam finds himself turning back to him, their eyes meeting. 

Theo looks startled and Liam knows that he can smell it, the faintly sweet scent of arousal. Liam wants to cover his face or storm out of the room but he holds his ground. Hunching his shoulders, Liam glares, daring Theo to say something about it outloud. 

Theo doesn’t. What he does do is look away first, his eyes shifting to focus on the wall next to Liam. 

Liam feels off kilter. He frowns, brows furrowing as he stares at the stiff way Theo sits on the bed. Liam’s never been good at reading body language but there’s something Theo’s trying to hide and Liam realizes that he knows what it is already. The evidence is everywhere. Theo’s posture, his expression, the way he’s wearing his jacket again even though the heat outside is swelteringly hot. 

Theo’s hiding and Liam is tired. 

He steps further into the room and closes the door softly, his backpack falling to the floor with a low thud. “How long are we going to pretend that we’re not soulmates?” 

Theo’s attention snaps back to him, expression hunted, Liam catches the way his right hand twitches on his thigh. “What?” 

Liam just stares back, waiting. 

“I think you're confused,” Theo says slowly. His eyes trace the lines on Liam’s throat before looking away. “I don’t have a mark, Liam, and I didn’t give you that one.” 

Theo’s heart doesn’t skip a beat. Liam isn’t surprised by that. The chimera can lie better than anyone Liam knows. He can’t lie to Liam anymore though, not about this, and Liam refuses to let Theo lie to himself. 

“You did.” Liam moves across the room, coming to the edge of the bed where Theo is sitting. He feels confident. Almost like a predator cornering his prey. He stares down at Theo. 

“You touched me here,” Liam lifts his own hand to touch his mark, finger tracing it finger by finger. “when I brought you back, you shoved me up against the wall and you put your hand around my throat.” 

Liam moves before Theo can stop him, hand dropping from his throat to snatch up Theo’s wrist. The sleeve of Theo’s jacket slides down and Liam closes his fingers around the black lines in the shape of his own hand. He feels it... something electric cold and hot all at once. 

He remembers now, touching Theo here, months and months ago. He hadn’t noticed in the moment. There had been too many things going on, but he remembers now with perfect clarity. 

“I grabbed you here,” he squeezes tighter and watches as Theo’s lips part on a harsh exhale. “In the police department, I pulled you to my side of the door and held on until we got to the patrol car outside.” 

He doesn’t let go. 

“That’s why you were so angry when I made the siren on the alarm sound. That’s why you saved me even though you’ve only ever cared about yourself. You had to because you didn’t know what else to do.” 

_ Being the bait, _ Liam remembers him saying with a cool smirk as the elevator doors closed. He’d thought he would never see Theo again after that, but he had. 

Theo stares up at him with an unreadable expression, lips slightly parted and Liam realizes just how hard he’s squeezing Theos wrist. Liam swallows thickly, he wants to push Theo back. Wants to climb on top of him, wants to kiss him hard and deep. 

He exhales shakily and lets go of Theo so that he can take a step back. Then another and another, until he’s across the room, thighs bumping into the edge of his desk. He sits there and digs his nails into the wood to keep himself from moving. 

“How long have you known?” Theo asks and he sounds off. His eyes not meeting Liam’s. 

“I knew you were mine the moment you touched me in the tunnels.” Liam says eyes rolling up to the ceiling and staying there as though he’s searching for something. Strength? Patience? “I thought you were unmarked though until a few weeks ago.” 

“The library,” Theo says. 

Liam nods. 

“I knew you’d seen. You ran out of there so fast,” Theo murmurs. 

Liam drops his eyes to look at him. He’s not sure how to read Theo, he holds his cards so close to his chest that it’s impossible. “When did you know?” 

“When you touched me at the police station.” Theo admits. “It wasn’t hard to remember that I had you by the throat the day before.” 

“You never said anything,” Liam says and it comes out accusatory. 

“Neither did you, “ Theo counters. 

“I’m sure you can imagine why.” It's a cruel thing to say but it’s nothing but the truth. Liam refuses to hedge around this. To pretend that being linked to Theo doesn’t scare and horrify the fuck out of him. 

Theos mouth is cruel when it twists into a smile. “I’m sure.” 

There’s a heavy silence that settles between them. Both of them lost in thought. Liam isn’t sure what else to say—if there  _ is _ anything left to say. They’re soulmates. They both know that, but what’s next?

“I haven’t told anyone else,” Liam says haltingly. He probably shouldn’t have said that. It gives theo blackmail to hold over him. 

If Theo is surprised he gives no indication. “I’m sure they’ll be thrilled when they find out.” 

The words make Liam nauseous. He hasn’t left himself think about the various reactions his friends—his pack— would have to the knowledge that Theo is his soulmate. Malia would probably try to rip his throat out. Scott would give him those puppy eyes, sad and pitying, he’d pat Liam on the shoulder, say they would get through this. 

Liam shakes his head, voice bland, “Yeah, they’ll throw a party.” 

Theo snorts, mouth parting to speak but before he can there’s a light knock on Liam’s door. It opens and his mother peeks in. 

“Hey boys, dinner will be done soon,” she looks at Theo, eyes full of kind curiosity, “If you’d like to stay that is?” 

“I can’t—“ 

“He’ll stay.” Liam says cutting Theo off. 

His mother arches a brow but nods. “Okay. I hope you like curry Theo.” 

“He does.”

His mom rolls her eyes. “Liam, how about you let your guest answer.” 

“I do, Mrs. Geyer.” Theo says lightly. “Thank you.” 

When the door closes Liam sighs. 

“So, I’m already having dinner with the parents. Exciting.” 

Liam rolls his eyes. “Shut up, Theo. I said you're staying because you look like you haven’t eaten a meal in months. Not because I like you and definitely not because I want my parents to know you.”

Theo rolls his eyes, but there’s a little smirk playing at the edges of his mouth. “You know...Your mom looks like an actress I had a crush on when I was a kid. She’s pretty hot.”

Liam blanches at the thought. “Ew, you can leave now without dinner. Starve.” 

Theo laughs and Liam hates that he kind of likes the sound of it. 

They don’t speak to each other after that. Liam does his homework at his desk and Theo lays on Liam’s bed and sleeps and neither of them talk until it’s dinner time. And even then they talk around each other to Liam’s parents. When dinner is over Theo leaves and Liam goes back to his room to crawl into bed. His pillow smells like Theo when he buries his face into it. He growls in annoyance but doesn’t chunk it across the room like he knows he should. He finds the more he breathes the less the tug in his chest pulls. So, he keeps the pillow close and tries to find sleep even though everything feels different. 

Liam wonders if that should be considered normal. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated, as is criticism, especially because I edited this chapter on my phone so there’s bound to be a few mistakes.

**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](https://lovelylittlegrim.tumblr.com)


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